Brutal Reality in Modern Day Africa

This is one short story in Uwen Akpan’s short fiction collection titled Say Your One of Them

Jigana, an eight-year-old boy whose family lives in a makeshift shack in the outskirts of Nairobi, narrates the story. They are dirt poor and send their 12-year-old daughter out on the street to sell her body to feed the family. They also want to send Jigana, as their eldest son, to school. Short on food, the mother gives her children kabire (glue) to sniff to curb their appetite. “She and Baba hardly ever took kabire. Kabire is for children only.”

It is not an easy story to read and does make the reader feel really uncomfortable. However, it tells a story that must be told. It is well written and gets the point across.

5/5

Also reviewed by:

caribousmom

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